Plural-chamber condiment dispenser

ABSTRACT

A plural-chamber condiment dispenser of two-piece construction having a snap-on removable cap that is rotatable to selective positions of closure, and capable of refill from openings also used for dispense.

o A. United States Patent 11 1 [111 3,878,971 Freedman Apr. 22, 1975 PLURAL-CHAMBER CONDIMENT [56] References Cited DISPENSER UNITED STATES PATENTS [76] In en or: Ge a d le e m P.0. Box 1,216,252 2/1917 Ferguson 222/1421) 503, Federal Station, Worcester, 2,349,724 5/1944 Henderson Mass. 0160l 2,354,004 7/1944 Fess ZZZ/I429 22 F1 d J 26 1973 2,555,047 5/l95l Logue ZZZ/142.9 X 1 1e Primary E.\*aminerRobert B Reeves [21] Appl. No.: 373,679 Assistant Examiner-Larry H. Martin Related US. Application Data [57] ABSTRACT Continuation-imp?!" of Sci P A plural-chamber condiment dispenser of two-piece I971 abandoncdconstruction having a snap-0n removable cap that is rotatable to selective positions of closure, and capable [52] US. Cl ZZZ/142.6; ZZZ/142.9 f refill f openings also used f dispense [51] Int. Cl A47g 19/24 [58] Field of Search 222/142.1l42.9, 548 8 Claims, 4 Drawlng Figures PLURAL-CHAMBER CONDIMENT DISPENSER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This application is a continuation in part of my copending application Ser. No. 184,484, filed 09/28/71 now abandoned and includes revision and improvement of the material already disclosed.

The objectives of this invention are to provide a plural-chamber condiment dispenser that is easily and inexpensively manufactured, that is simply and fascilitously operated, that is readily refillable, that provides for similtaneous dispense of two condiments, and to provide a means whereby commonly associated condiments may be conveniently stored and used.

It is a further object to provide a device whose structure, mode of operation, and uses are novel and a dramatic improvement over prior art devices, each of which is faulty, vastly overcomplicated, and inadequate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The structure of my device consists of (A) a hollow cylindrical tube, closed at one circular end, open at the other, having one or more dividing walls extending longitudinally end to end, and having chamber side-wall openings that intersect, partially, the edge of the top opening, as well as essentially intersecting the dividing wall or walls; (B) a snap-on removable cap with a skirt. that closes the top and side-wall openings of the body member, and having one set of small dispense openings that can be selectively rotated to various positions of registration with the side-wall openings of the body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is an exploded view of a two-chamber condiment dispenser showing its cap and main body.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the two-chamber dispenser of FIG. 1 showing the arrangement of the dividing wall means in the main body.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a three-chamber dispenser showings its arrangement of the dividing wall means.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a four-chamber dispenser showing its arrangement of the dividing wall means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Refering to FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 indicates the hollow cylindrical main body member of the condiment dispenser, 2 its closed circular end, 3 its top are plane section, 4 a dividing wall means, 5 side-wall openings, 6 top openings; the cap member, with bottom circular opening 9 and closed spherical section top 8, can be snapped on or removed from the main body by way of lip 12 of the body and annular groove 11 of the cap. The inner surface of the cap coincides with the outer surface of the body about the shape of a solid of revolu tion, so that the cap may rotate about the body, positioning the caps set of dispense openings in various modes of registration with the bodys sidewall openings.

When holes 10 are positioned over the bodys arc plane section 3, the container is completely closed and no dispensation can occur. When holes 10 are positioned over either side-wall opening 5, exclusive dispense of one condiment can be accomplished, while positioning of holes 10 over the dividing wall means 4 permits simultaneous dispense of both adjacent condiments. The caps dispense holes can also be positioned partially over the arc plane section 3 and a sidewall opening 5 in such a way that many ratios between full and no dispense may be obtained. Similarly many various ratios of simultaneous dispense may also be ad- 5 justed. Actual dispensation occurs when the container,

slightly tilted, is shaken, moving granular or liquid condiment stored in the chambers through all side-wall opening portions that are in register with the dispense holes of the cap.

Selector tab 13 of the cap, used to fascilitate cap movement about the body, to indicate relative position of the dispense openings, and to facilitate removal of the cap from the body for refilling, may have a notch 14 capable of lightly enguaging nibs 15 of the body at various standard positions of dispense. Finer adjustment of the desired dispense ratio can be accomplished by moving the cap without reguard for the notch and nibs. The outer surface of the body and cap may have flutes (l8), knurls, or raised markings (19) to improve grasping of the container. The main body could include a ledge 16, whereby the outer surfaces of the cap and body are flush, but this ledge is not essential.

Condiment chambers may contain a variety of associated spices, such as salt and pepper, salt and garlic powder. cinnamon and sugar, and may also hold liquid substances. To fill or refill any one chamber independently of the other, the spout of the refilling container is inserted into the side-wall and top openings of that chamber. As the refilling condiment is poured into the chamber, it bounces off the dividing wall means and inner chamber wall, falling into the chamber without spilling over, undersirably, into the other chamber. A folded piece of paper or tin foil can also be used as a refilling spout if necessary.

FIG. 2 shows a top, plan view of the dispenser of FIG. 1. The dividing wall means 4 may be modified, as in FIG. 3 (4) and FIG. 4 (4" so that any number of distinct chambers may be provided to the dispenser. FIG. 3 shows a three-chamber variety, while FIG. 4 shows a four-chamber variety. In general, if there are N chambers, the arc of the arc plane section (3,3',3"), the arc of all side-wall openings, and the arc of the dispense holes plane, will all be the same and given by 360/N+l. Functioning of all plural-chamber dispensers is the same, where there is a position for no dispense, positions for exclusive dispense, and positions for simultaneous dispense of adjacent condiments.

The top surface of the dividing wall means may be either a flat plane or a spherical section, and may be either indented, flush, or extended from the plane of the bodys top openings. The outer, side surfaces of the dividing wall means are all cylindrical and flush with the outer surface of the main body. While many kinds of materials may be used to compose this device, it is prefered in a manufactured item that the main body member be of moulded glass and the cap member a moulded, flexible plastic.

Having set forth disclosure of my invention, I claim:

1. The improvement in plural-chamber condiment dispensers comprising a main body member and a cap member, where said body member is a hollow cylindrical tube, closed at one circular end, open at the other circular end, having a dividing wall means that extends longitudinally from said closed end to said open end through said body member, said dividing wall means sectioning said body member into two or more distinct chambers, said body member [having for each said distinct chamber a cylindrical side wall opening that does not intersect said closed end, that does, essentially, in-

tersect said dividing wall means, and that does intersect partially, the edge of said top end opening, and where said body member has a cylindrical arc plane wall section about the plane of said cylindrical side wall openings; where said cap member is a hollow cylindrical tube, closed at one circular end, open at the other circualr end, having a skirt of sufficient length to close said cylindrical side wall openings of said body member, and having a dispensing opening about its said cylindrical side wall skirt; where said body and cap memberssnap fit together and apart by way of an appropriate lip and groove means, where the bearing surfaces of said body and cap members are congruent in shape about the shape of a solid of revolution, said body and cap members being relatively rotatable to selective positions of closure where said cylindrical side wall openings of said body member are in various modes of registration with said dispense opening of said cap member, said modes of registration including a position of non dispensing where said dispensing opening of said cap member is registered with said cylindrical arc plane wall section of said body member, a position of exclusive dispensing for each of said distinct chamber of said body member where said dispensing opening of said cap member is registered exclusively with one and only one cylindrical side wall opening of said body members, and a position for similtaneous dispensing of adjacent' body chambers where said dispensing opening of said cap member is similtaneously registered with said cylindrical side wall openings of said adjacent body chambers.

2. The device of claim 1 where said cap member has a selectorrtab that fascilitates its rotation about the main body member, that indicates relative mode of registration, and that facilitates removal of the cap member from the body member.

3. The device of claim 2 where said selector tab has an indented notch and said body member has nibs, said notch and nibs capable of lightly engaging at various standard positions of registration of body and cap members.

4. The device of claim 1 where said body member has flutes, knurls, or raised markings that facilitate grasping of the dispenser.

5. The device of claim 1 where said cap member has flutes, knurls, or raised markings that facilitate grasping of the dispenser.

6. The device of claim 1 where said body member is composed of a clear, molded glass and said cap member is composed of a clear, flexible, molded plastic.

7-. The device of claim 1 where said dividing wall means sections the body into two chambers.

8. The device of claim 1 where said dividing wall means sections the body into more than two chambers. =l 

1. The improvement in plural-chamber condiment dispensers comprising a main body member and a cap member, where said body member is a hollow cylindrical tube, closed at one circular end, open at the other circular end, having a dividing wall means that extends longitudinally from said closed end to said open end through said body member, said dividing wall means sectioning said body member into two or more distinct chambers, said body member having for each said distinct chamber a cylindrical side wall opening that does not intersect said closed end, that does, essentially, intersect said dividing wall means, and that does intersect partially, the edge of said top end opening, and where said body member has a cylindrical arc plane wall section about the plane of said cylindrical side wall openings; where said cap member is a hollow cylindrical tube, closed at one circular end, open at the other circualr end, having a skirt of sufficient length to close said cylindrical side wall openings of said body member, and having a dispensing opening about its said cylindrical side wall skirt; where said body and cap members snap fit together and apart by way of an appropriate lip and groove means, where the bearing surfaces of said body and cap members are congruent in shape about the shape of a solid of revolution, said body and cap members being relatively rotatable to selective positions of closure where said cylindrical side wall openings of said body member are in various modes of registration with said dispense opening of said cap member, said modes of registration including a position of non dispensing where said dispensing opening of said cap member is registered with said cylindrical arc plane wall section of said body member, a position of exclusive dispensing for each of said distinct chamber of said body member where said dispensing opening of said cap member is registered exclusively with one and only one cylindrical side wall opening of said body members, and a position for similtaneous dispensing of adjacent body chambers where said dispensing opening of said cap member is similtaneously registered with said cylindrical side wall openings of said adjacent body chambers.
 1. The improvement in plural-chamber condiment dispensers comprising a main body member and a cap member, where said body member is a hollow cylindrical tube, closed at one circular end, open at the other circular end, having a dividing wall means that extends longitudinally from said closed end to said open end through said body member, said dividing wall means sectioning said body member into two or more distinct chambers, said body member having for each said distinct chamber a cylindrical side wall opening that does not intersect said closed end, that does, essentially, intersect said dividing wall means, and that does intersect partially, the edge of said top end opening, and where said body member has a cylindrical arc plane wall section about the plane of said cylindrical side wall openings; where said cap member is a hollow cylindrical tube, closed at one circular end, open at the other circualr end, having a skirt of sufficient length to close said cylindrical side wall openings of said body member, and having a dispensing opening about its said cylindrical side wall skirt; where said body and cap members snap fit together and apart by way of an appropriate lip and groove means, where the bearing surfaces of said body and cap members are congruent in shape about the shape of a solid of revolution, said body and cap members being relatively rotatable to selective positions of closure where said cylindrical side wall openings of said body member are in various modes of registration with said dispense opening of said cap member, said modes of registration including a position of non dispensing where said dispensing opening of said cap member is registered with said cylindrical arc plane wall section of said body member, a position of exclusive dispensing for each of said distinct chamber of said body member where said dispensing opening of said cap member is registered exclusively with one and only one cylindrical side wall opening of said body members, and a position for similtaneous dispensing of adjacent body chambers where said dispensing opening of said cap member is similtaneously registered with said cylindrical side wall openings of said adjacent body chambers.
 2. The device of claim 1 where said cap member has a selector tab that fascilitates its rotation about the main body member, that indicates relative mode of registration, and that facilitates removal of the cap member from the body member.
 3. The device of claim 2 where said selector tab has an indented notch and said body member has nibs, said notch and nibs capable of lightly enguaging at various standard positions of registration of body and cap members.
 4. The device of claim 1 where said body member has flutes, knurls, or raised markings that facilitate grasping of the dispenser.
 5. The device of claim 1 where said cap member has flutes, knurls, or raised markings that facilitate grasping of the dispenser.
 6. The device of claim 1 where said body member is composed of a clear, molded glass and said cap member is composed of a clear, flexible, moulded plastic.
 7. The device of claim 1 where said dividing wall means sections the body into two chambers. 